After The Wonder
by TheFriendlyStranger
Summary: What if the "cure" that Rebekah swallowed wasn't a fake? A newly human Rebekah travels back to Mystic Falls with Elijah, ready to start living a normal human life, though the cure didn't really fix anything except her immortality. Once she starts struggling with nightmares, repressed memories, and emotions, she starts to regret taking it. Will her family be able to help her?
1. Prologue

**A/N: This was inspired by a what if situation that came to my mind. Though, mostly inspired by the quote from the episode down below. I've been meaning to write something about the Originals for a while now, and I figured I would give this a bit of a try. This will get rather dark at some points, lots of angst too. This is a really short little thing at the moment, but the next chapter will be longer. I don't plan on making this very long, but we will see. **

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"_The cure will only take away your immortality. Everything else you hate about yourself, you'll still wake up with that in the morning." - Katherine Pierce_

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**After The Wonder**

**...**

**Prologue**

* * *

She was so overwhelmed with emotion that when she saw Elijah, she embraced him in a hug. Rebekah was a little taken back by the urge, and she was sure Elijah was a little surprised at the sudden show of pure joy and happiness in his sister. But, that was all she was feeling. Joy and happiness.

It had been all she was feeling for the rest of the day after taking the cure, she had woken up with no air in her lungs. All she had to feel was her heart beating to know that it had worked, that she was finally free from the curse that enslaved her for a thousand years. She had to remind herself to breathe at times, having felt the tightness of her lungs. She had to breathe, though not because she had to look normal, but because she actually _needed_ to.

She could feel a bit of hunger building up inside her from the afternoon, but she had to deal with the Salvatores. They were pretty upset with her, but Rebekah couldn't really bring herself to care at the moment.

She could be a normal teenager, live a normal _human_ life with the ending included. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, the weakness in her limbs from being up all day. Though, she didn't really care, she was just so happy that she wanted to hug someone.

Though, it didn't take Elijah long to figure it out. He shoved her back a little forcefully, Rebekah feeling the tightness of his fingers on her shoulders. It kind of hurt.

"Rebekah..." he muttered, looking at her closely, "you didn't..."

Rebekah's smile faltered slightly at his rather stern and almost angry expression, but she couldn't help but let out a breathless laugh.

"I'm alive, Elijah! I'm _human_!"


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Alright, here is chapter one! I'm very happy that people are willing to read this story. This has a lot of Elijah and Rebekah in this chapter, but Klaus will be in the next one for sure. I hope you did their characters justice. I know that Rebekah will become a little OOC, but I am hoping that some of her original character shines through.**

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"_The cure will only take away your immortality. Everything else you hate about yourself, you'll still wake up with that in the morning." - Katherine Pierce_

* * *

**After The Wonder**

**...**

**Chapter One**

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Rebekah tried to keep a serious face, but the smile kept creeping up on her. It was just that she was so happy, she felt alive. More alive than she felt in a _really_ long time, so she couldn't understand why Elijah seemed so annoyed.

"You took it," he stated, running a hand over his mouth as he looked down at his rather excited and giddy looking sister. It would have been a nice sight to see, if it wasn't for all the problems that came with what she did to make herself feel this way.

"I didn't even know you wanted the cure, Rebekah," Elijah said, shaking his head as Rebekah's smile became more saddened.

"I've always wanted it, Elijah," Rebekah said, her eyes softening, "ever since I heard of it...I knew I had to have it. I want to be able to get a chance at a normal life, to live and die as a normal person and not as an original vampire. I should be able to make that choice, shouldn't I?"

"This is reckless, Rebekah," Elijah said, shaking his head, "do you understand what problems this will cause? There could have been other ways of working through what you are feeling-"

"No," Rebekah stated, shaking her head, "this was the right choice. I can feel it. This is all I've ever wanted, all those life times that I spent in this world, and I think that I deserve to be free. After all that I have been through..." her eyes hardened at the thought, realizing that she was trying to convince her brother to agree with her. "You are my brother, I thought you would be happy for me."

"Rebekah," Elijah let out a sigh, "I can't bring myself to be happy that you made such a selfish choice. Taking the cure for your own gain. That is why you sided with Elena, isn't it? To get your hands on the cure."

"_Selfish_?" Rebekah asked, she sounded offended. Usually she could turn off or hide such an emotion easily while a vampire, but there wasn't that switch anymore, and she felt everything.

Happiness, excitement, anger, confusion, anxiety, and a rather odd one as well.

Guilt.

Why should she feel guilty? She deserved this, didn't she? Klaus wanted the cure for his own reasons, the Salvatores wanted the cure for Elena, and Elijah most likely wanted it for his _Katrina_.

"Yes," Elijah said, "it was selfish."

"I deserve this!" Rebekah exclaimed, "nobody would _think_ to give it to me, anyway. What am I to them? An Original vampire who deserves nothing more than a stake in my chest, and a body full of ashes. Just like Kol and Finn! I'm always last choice to Niklaus' schemes, and what do you want the cure for? By the looks of it, it is obviously not for your _family._"

Rebekah let out a huff of air that she had been holding while ranting, tears of anger pooling in her eyes. She felt a buzzing in her pocket, Rebekah turning away from her brother as she reached into her pocket with one hand and wiped her eyes with the other.

Klaus' name flashed on the screen, a growl escaping her mouth. Of course he would call, probably about her progress with the cure. With the way Elijah handled this, she was almost scared to pick up the phone.

"Rebekah..."

"It's Klaus," she said, wincing at how thick her voice sounded, now feeling the tears on her cheeks, letting out a sniffle as she tried to inhale.

_This is pathetic..._

She felt him approach her from behind, Elijah's hand gripping the phone in her shaking hand and took it from her. She looked at him oddly, Elijah's eyes had softened as he looked at her.

"I'll speak with him, try and gather yourself," he stated, clicking a button on the phone before lifting it up to his ear. "Niklaus."

Rebekah realized that she couldn't hear what was being said on the other end, her eyes on Elijah's facial expression as she forced herself to listen to his replies.

"Ah, well, indeed that there is an update about the cure. Though, I don't feel it appropriate to tell you over the phone. Rebekah and I are heading back to Mystic Falls, we will be seeing you shortly."

He hung up then, holding out Rebekah's phone for her to take. She took it from his hand, letting out a sigh. Her mood had been shot to pieces, replaced by sadness and anger.

"We are really going back to see him?" Rebekah asked, tucking her phone into a pocket as she looked at Elijah, "it will be rubbing it in his face."

"As you have to me? Yes. Though, he deserves to know."

"I know that I went behind backs to get his cure," Rebekah stated, "but I had to do it myself because nobody would get it to save _me_. Understand _that_, Elijah."

She walked to the passenger side of the car, flinging the car door open with such force that she was sure it would have ripped off if she had been a vampire. She shut it again with a slam, glaring at the road ahead of her.

_I'm not selfish, _she told herself, _I have finally done something for myself, and it is them that can't understand that. _

The car ride back to Mystic Falls was rather silent, Rebekah watching the road go by as she leaned against the window. The car seemed too small, her stomach was killing her with hunger, and she was uncomfortable. She needed to stand up, stretch her legs and get something to eat and drink.

She turned to her brother, Elijah's expression rather calm, but there was something boiling inside him. There always was.

"How far is the next town?" she asked, Elijah glancing over at her for a few moments before turning back to the road.

"Within the mile," he said, "do we need to stop?"

"Yes," Rebekah stated, "my legs are sore and I am starving."

Elijah nodded, no reply to that. Rebekah looked back out the window, feeling some relief at the idea of standing up and hopefully getting some food in her stomach. She smiled slightly at the idea of eating something that didn't come from the neck of another living being. Maybe she could figure out why burgers are so popular.

She watched as a small town rolled into view, Elijah pulling the car over at a late night diner. Rebekah couldn't get out of that car fast enough, a small smile crossing her features as she raised her arms above her head, her back relaxing after she was done as she watched Elijah exit the car.

Rebekah followed Elijah towards the diner, a question popping into her head.

"Why are you coming with me back to Mystic Falls? You spent so much time away from Niklaus that I thought you wouldn't want to return. After all, you are leaving Katrina behind."

"Leaving you to face Klaus by yourself?" Elijah asked, opening the door for her, "not after what has happened. You are my sister, even if I am upset I am with you, I will be by your side. Always and forever."

Rebekah turned to him with a smile, "thank you."

* * *

It was almost dawn when they reached Klaus's manor, Rebekah tired and wanting sleep. Though, she knew there would be no way of sneaking by Klaus' eye. Especially with the cure involved, and Rebekah wondered how he would take it.

For some reason, it filled her with fear. She was flushing, sweating slightly, and her heart was beating a mile a minute. Even with the car engine cut, she still sat there for a few moments, wondering how she was to deal with this.

She felt like a frightened child having to confront their mother about something they did when they knew the weren't supposed to. Was that what Niklaus was to her? Her superior?

_I'm never going to move on with my life if I keep letting him control it. I deserved this cure, and I will have to tell him what I told Elijah. _

"We are here," Elijah said, glancing over at his sister, who looked kind of pale, but her face seemed determined. Still, she looked scared. He gripped her shoulder, Rebekah turned to look at him with a questioning gaze.

"I'm by your side," he stated, Rebekah smiling slightly as she undid her seat belt and climbed out of the car.

She needed to do this, there was no way of avoiding it. She needed to confront her big brother, and she found herself relieved that Elijah was on her side.

_Always and forever. _

She only hoped that Klaus would be willing to honour that was well.


End file.
